Red Threads and Scissors
by atkesst
Summary: Ben Walker is a college student who works at the library. Lately, he's realizing that while he remembers all that has happened in his life, none of it is familiar. His job, his best friend, and almost everything he's supposedly always known feel completely distant. The only thing now that he seems to know is a new friend; a girl named Rey who's having a similar problem herself.


"Ben, wake up," Louis said, tapping my shoulder urgently.

I jerked awake and rubbed my eyes. "I don't even remember falling asleep," I muttered. "How long was I out?"

"Like thirty seconds. I don't know."

"Sorry about that." For a second, I couldn't remember at all how I got here. But as I looked around, it slowly came back; I was at my job, sitting behind the checkout counter at the library.

Louis chuckled. "What were you reading that bored you to sleep?"

I glanced down and the book open on the desk. "Remember Me by O. Nobles," I read from the cover. I skimmed the page I was on but for some reason couldn't remember where I was in the story. It was pretty ironic. "Yeah, I probably won't finish this," I said, closing it and placing it back on the cart.

"Giving up so easily?" He joked. "I've never seen you start a book and not finish it."

I shrugged. "That one was just especially boring."

"Fair enough." He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Are you hungry? You didn't bring lunch today, right?"

"I didn't?" I asked, genuinely not remembering.

He frowned. "Dude, are you okay today?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said. "Just a little out of it, I guess. Here, I'm going to go put away the books."

"Okay." He looked at me with a concerned look on his face but moved out of the way to let me get to the book cart.

I pushed the cart around, placing the books back on the shelves. The clock read 7:50 meaning the library would close in about ten minutes. I was relieved I'd get to go home soon because I felt strangely exhausted. My breathing wasn't off or anything but I felt as if I had just gotten done with a long run.

Though some might assume putting away the books would be tedious, it was actually my favorite part of the job. On particularly tiring or frustrating days, it gave me something to distract myself with. Not much thinking goes into reading call numbers and pushing around a cart. And one of the most satisfying feelings is having an empty cart and shelves full of books that are all in the right place so that they can stand up straight on their own.

After putting away the last book, which happened to be the O. Nobles one I was reading earlier, I turned the cart around to bring it back to the counter. But since I hadn't been looking where I was going and I turned around a bit too fast, I ran it right into an unsuspecting girl who was standing behind me.

"Ow!" she cried out, shaking her arm which I'd managed to smash between the cart and the bookshelf beside us. Despite the shock of hurting her, I couldn't help but find it somewhat funny how when she shook her arm, the sleeve of her green sweater that was obviously too big for her flopped around. The guilt set in soon enough that I didn't laugh out loud.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I apologized quickly, stepping toward her back to check the damages. "I didn't see you there. Can I get you some ice?"

"No, I'm fine. You just took me by surprise," she explained. Her voice and accent sounded somewhat familiar and given that there aren't that many British people in Washington, I figured it'd be hard to have mixed her up with someone else. There wasn't a name that came to mind looking at her though.

"You sure I can't get you ice though?" I offered again.

"I'm sure," she said, smiling slightly. "But I do need help finding a book. Do you know where I could find the book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon?"

I laughed, remembering reading that book when I was a child. "Over this way," I said, leading her to the kids section. When we got there, I pulled it off of a bookshelf and handed it to her.

"Thank you," she said, looking down at the book. She traced the dragon on the cover.

"May I ask why you're reading a children's book?" I asked. As soon as I said it, I realized the question sounded condescending.

Unfazed, she responded, "My friend's making me read it."

"That's nice," I commented. "It's a good book."

"Looks like it."

We stood in silence for a couple of seconds before she spoke up again. "Do I know you from somewhere, Ben?" she asked.

"Evidently, if you know my name."

She tilted her head in confusion before gesturing to the badge I had around my neck. "It says so right there."

I looked down and laughed. "Oh, I forgot about that. But yeah, I do recognize you. Do you go to the University of Washington?"

"Yeah, I do," she said. "That's probably where I recognize you from." Something was off in her face though and for some reason I could feel that we both knew that wasn't true.

"Did we just talk the other day or something? Which classes do you take?"

"Well, since it's summer we probably didn't have any classes together recently at all," she pointed out. I mentally smacked my forehead. I had completely forgotten it was mid-July.

"Then I guess you just look familiar," I said. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Rey," she responded.

"That's a nice name. Rey what?" I asked, thinking we could have been in high school together. Then again, based on her accent she probably wasn't American.

Before she could answer, Louis' voice came on the speaker announcing that the library was closing for the day. Rey's eyes widened and she obviously hadn't realized the time. She shoved the book back onto the shelf and pulled the backpack she'd dropped onto the floor back onto her shoulders in a panic. "I'd better be going but it was nice talking to you!" she said as she rushed toward the door.

"Wait, you know it's no trouble to stay two more minutes to check out the book?" I called after her, grabbing the book back from the shelf.

"I know!" she said. "I'm going to be late for ballet! Thank you anyways!" She awkwardly stumbled out the doors and sprinted away from the library. It was honestly kind of funny.

As I returned the book to the shelf, I realized that she would probably come back to check it out. Whether it was tomorrow or a week from now, it made me smile knowing she'd return.

"Who was that?" Louis asked, leaning against the shelf beside me.

"Don't sneak up on me like that. And her name's Rey."

"Do you know her?"

"Maybe. She seems pretty familiar but I can't recall exactly where I know her from." I walked back to the counter to put away my things.

"She's really good-looking," Louis commented, smiling at me. He was always the type to try to point out girls he thought I was into to get me to date them but nine out of ten times he was wrong. No, more like ten out of ten times. Louis was not really the brightest but he was a good friend.

"I hadn't noticed." I had noticed.

"Sure you did."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Then ask her out yourself, for God's sake."

He laughed. "Whoever said anything about asking her out? I just said you noticed that she's good looking."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. You're so difficult sometimes."

"I am. Anyway, she's not my type."

"Okay, then." I sighed and stared out the window. I figured if I looked out there long enough I'd catch another glimpse of her running to get to ballet on time. "Did she look familiar to you at all?"

He shook his head. "I've never seen her before."

"Huh." I pulled my stuff together and pulled my bag onto my arm. "I guess I'll see you Monday."

"Yeah, see you," Louis said as I walked out the doors.

When I crossed the street to get to my car, I looked both ways half to avoid being hit and half to see if I could spot Rey whose last name I couldn't quite get.


End file.
